PAFSO has received several questions from FS members regarding the alternation process as part of the Work Force Adjustment (WFA) Directive. The following seeks to answer some frequently asked questions concerning the workforce adjustment situation at Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Under the National Joint Council (NJC) WFA directive, all departments must participate in an alternation process, which allows an employee facing potential job loss (opting employee) to remain in the federal public sector by exchanging positions with another employee (alternate) who is willing to leave their position with a transition support measure or an educational allowance. This is a required step within the WFA directive.
Currently, no FS positions at IRCC are affected by the WFA. This means that no PAFSO member will become an opting employee. Furthermore, based on the information received from management, there will be no surplus employee as no affected employee will be receiving a guaranteed reasonable job offer.
IRCC has created the IRCC Alternation Platform in order to facilitate alternations between IRCC employees impacted by Workforce Adjustment and eligible employees not impacted by Workforce Adjustment (not affected, opting or surplus). You can learn more about the platform using this link.
Opting Employee
Employees who are not given a guarantee of a reasonable job offer (GRJO) and are eligible for a transition support measure or educational allowance.
Alternate
Non-affected employees who are willing to leave the federal public sector with either a transition support measure (TSM) or an educational allowance.
An opting employee is an individual who has not received a guarantee of a reasonable job offer and who has been accorded a period of 120 days during which to select one of the three transition-support options provided to opting employees.
An opting employee who expresses an interest to be part of the alternation process should advise management as soon as possible after receiving their formal surplus notice advising that there is no guarantee of a reasonable job offer.
Alternation is available during the employee’s 120-day opting period and before they choose one of the three options (surplus priority, TSM, or education allowance).
- The opting employee who wants to remain in the federal public sector must meet the position requirements of the unaffected position they are alternating into.
- Alternation must occur on a specified date agreeable to the department and is subject to management’s approval.
- The alternation can only be between two positions within the Core Public Administration.
- An alternation should normally occur between employees at the same group and level.
- When the two positions are not the same group and level, alternation can still occur when the positions can be considered equivalent.
The alternate employee will be entitled to the transition support measure that is available under paragraph 6.4.1 (b) or 6.4.1 (c) (i) of the NJC Work Force Adjustment Directive.
Option B
- Transition support measure (TSM).
- Payment based on employee’s years of service in the Public Service in exchange for resignation.
- The TSM shall be paid in one or two lump-sum amounts over a maximum two-year period.
Option C (i)
- TSM + education allowance ($15,000$ or $17,000)
- Allowance for receipted expenses for tuition fees, costs of books, and relevant or mandatory equipment (according to the WFA Directive).
As indicated above, if you wish to leave the federal public sector and would like to alternate with an opting employee, you should advise IRCC’s management as soon as possible. They will aim to match you with employees who are impacted by WFA, based on your response. IRCC employees impacted by WFA will contact you directly if they are interested in your position for alternation. You and the impacted employee will need to propose the potential alternation match to your managers for approval. Both you and the impacted employee will need to directly exchange positions on the same date meaning that the alternation will need to occur on a given date approved by management. If alternation is denied, a meeting to discuss the rationale for the decision will be held at the employee’s request.
If you have any questions or concerns about the alternation process, or you feel that IRCC’s management has wrongfully denied a potential alternation match, please contact us and let us know about your situation. Our Labour Relations Advisors may be able to help you navigate through the alternation process.